Imports to boost Ba's Champions League run

BA'S overseas recruits Fayah Camara (Philippines) and Clarence Clarke are expected to join the side late next month.

The duo have been signed up to bolster the Men In Black's Oceania Football Confederation Champions League campaign.

Ba team manager Arvind Singh said they could not wholly rely on the local players for a high level competition like the OFC Champions League.

"People need to be reminded that the OFC Champions League serves as the qualifiers for the FIFA Club World Cup," Singh said.

"The CWC attracts the best clubs from each of the six FIFA regions and the champion host club.

"Those are professional clubs which have a lot of money with many star players. We are talking about the likes of the champions Corinthians of Brazil who have won the title twice and Spanish giants Barcelona.

"The other winners include Brazilian clubs Sao Paulo and International. AC Milan and Internazionale have won it from Italy while English club Manchester United has won the title as well.

"So in order to compete against these clubs we have to boost our squad but the first aim is to win the OFC Champions League and secure a spot in the CWC."

Ba has also signed up Australia-based Shivan Swamy for the new season.

This year's OFC Champions League has undergone a name and format change. The competition was previously known as the O League. The competition will run from March 30 to May 19.

Ba is in Group A with Papua New Guinea champions Hekari United, Solomon Warriors of the Solomon Islands and Amicale of Vanuatu.

Group B includes defending champions Auckland City of New Zealand, AS Mont Dore of New Caledonia, Waitakere United of New Zealand and Dragon of Tahiti.

Under the new format the two top teams from each pool will qualify for the semi-finals which will be played on a home-and-away basis.

The one match final will be played in Auckland, New Zealand. The date for the final is yet to be released. The winner of the final will earn the right to represent OFC at the 2013 FIFA CWC in Morocco.